The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
Powertrain systems may utilize autostopping strategies to shutdown an engine when a vehicle is stopped in order to improve fuel economy and emissions due to the engine not operating fueled to maintain an idle speed while stopped. When vehicle motion is desired, the engine can be automatically started to provide motive torque to the drive wheels. For instance, the engine may be stopped when the vehicle is at a stop light and automatically started once an operator of the vehicle releases a brake pedal. Electric machines, e.g., electric starter motors, are utilized to crank the engine of the powertrain system during engine start events. A power transmission belt, such as a serpentine belt guided by an idler pulley and belt tensioner, can be utilized to rotatably couple a crankshaft of the engine to the electric machine for transferring torque therebetween. Accordingly, the electric machine may also function as an alternator utilizing torque from the engine for powering electronic applications of the vehicle. Moreover, accessory components may be powered utilizing torque provided from the engine and/or the electric machine via the power transmission belt. Accessory components can include, but are not limited to, a power steering pump device, a water pump device, and an air conditioning compressor device. The accessory components may also be driven directly off of the crankshaft of the engine utilizing one or more additional belts.
It is known, to assign a useful life of a power transmission belt transferring torque between two or more rotating members wherein the vehicle owner is required to replace or have the belt serviced when the useful life has lapsed. Lapsing of the useful life, e.g., the end of life, may be determined upon an occurrence of a predetermined vehicle condition. The predetermined condition can include, but is not limited to, a predetermined number of elapsed belt revolutions since a beginning of life of the belt, a predetermined distance traversed by the vehicle, or a predetermined engine operating time. For instance, the end of life of the belt may be reached upon the vehicle attaining 75,000 miles. Generally, the useful life is assigned for a typical belt that operates during typical ambient conditions and under typical driving conditions of the vehicle. Extreme ambient conditions, such as hot or cold ambient temperatures, and extreme driving conditions, such as high speed and torque use areas of vehicle driving, are known to reduce the useful life of the belt. While the useful life is assigned as a safeguard to protect a typical driver from experiencing a damaged belt, belts employed in vehicles that operate during these extreme ambient conditions and/or extreme driving conditions may experience an actual end of life of the belt being attained before the predetermined condition associated with the assigned useful life is reached.